{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} THE WORLD OF TELECONFERENCING BY ERIK BLOODAXE *{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} BEING INVOLVED WITH A CONFERENCE IS ONE OF THE PHONE PHREAK'S PHUNNEST ACTIVITIES. *{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{}{} AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WERE PHREAK CONFERENCES LONG BEFORE I WAS BORN, AND THERE WILL CONTINUE TO BE CONFERENCES LONG AFTER I LEAVE THE PHREAKING WORLD. THEY ARE ONE OF THE BEST MEANS THAT I KNOW OF TO ACTUALLY HEAR AND TALK TO YOUR PHELLOW PHREAKS. THIS IS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT YOUR SCC COMING OVER TO THE RECEIVER'S HOUSE AND ASKING, "WHO IN THE PHUCK CALLED YOU AT X:XX FROM X???" THEY ARE OBVIOUSLY BETTER THAN BULLETIN BOARDS. THE EARLIEST CONFERENCE THAT I KNOW OF IS THE "2111" CONFERENCE. AS RON ROSENBAUM PUT IT, "...THE LAST BIG CONFERENCE--THE HISTORIC '2111' CONFERENCE--HAD BEEN ARRANGED THROUGH AN UNUSED TELEX TEST-BOARD TRUNK SOMEWHERE IN THE INNARDS OF A 4A SWITCHING MACHINE IN VANCOUVER, CANADA. FOR MONTHS, PHONE PHREAKS COULD M-F THEIR WAY INTO VANCOUVER, BEEP OUT 604 (THE VANCOUVER AREA CODE) AND THEN BEEP OUT 2111 (THE INTERNAL PHONE-COMPANY CODE FOR TELEX TESTING), AND FIND THEMSELVES, AT ANY TIME, DAY OR NIGHT, ON AN OPEN WIRE TALKING WITH AN ARRAY OF PHONE PHREAKS FROM COAST TO COAST, OPERATORS FROM BERMUDA, TOKYO, AND LONDON WHO ARE PHONE PHREAK SYMPATHIZERS, AND MISCELLANEOUS GUESTS AND TECHNICAL EXPERTS. THE CONFERENCE WAS A MASSIVE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION. PHONE PHREAKS PICKED EACH OTHER'S BRAINS CLEAN, THEN DEVELOPED NEW WAYS TO PICK THE PHONE COMPANY'S BRAINS CLEAN..." THIS TYPE OF CONFERENCE WAS THE STANDARD OF ALL THE EARLY CONFERENCES, SINCE BACK THEN THERE WAS NO SUCH THING AS THE NOW FAMOUS "ALLIANCE TELECONFERENCE LINES." IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE HOW THE PHREAKS MUST HAVE FELT WHEN THE TRUNKS WERE CLOSED. THIS IS AGAIN ILLUSTRATED, "LAST APRIL 1, HOWEVER, THE LONG VANCOUVER CONFERENCE WAS SHUT OFF. THE PHONE PHREAKS KNEW IT WAS COMING. VANCOUVER WAS IN THE PROCESS OF CONVERTING TO A STEP-BY-STEP FROM A 4A AND THE 2111 TELEX CIRCUIT WAS TO BE WIPED OUT IN THE PROCESS. THE PHONE PHREAKS LEARNED THE ACTUAL DAY ON WHICH THE CONFERENCE WOULD BE ERASED ABOUT A WEEK AHEAD OF TIME OVER THE PHONE COMPANY'S INTERNAL-NEWS AND SHOP-TALK RECORDING. FOR THE NEXT FRANTIC SEVEN DAYS EVERY PHONE PHREAK IN AMERICA WAS ON AND OFF THE 2111 CONFERENCE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY. PHONE PHREAKS WHO WERE JUST LEARNING THE GAME OR DIDN'T HAVE M-F CAPABILITY WERE BOOSTED UP TO THE CONFERENCE BY MORE EXPERIENCED PHREAKS SO THEY COULD GET A GLIMPSE OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE BEFORE IT DISAPPEARED. TOP PHONE PHREAKS SEARCHED DISTANT AREA CODES FOR NEW CONFERENCE POSSIBILITIES WITHOUT SUCCESS. FINALLY IN THE EARLY MORNING OF APRIL 1,THE END CAME. 'I COULD FEEL IT COMING A COUPLE OF HOURS BEFORE MIDNIGHT,' RALPH REMEMBERS. 'YOU COULD FEEL SOMETHING GOING ON IN THE LINES. SOME STATIC BEGAN SHOWING UP, THEN SOME WHISTLING WHEEZING SOUND. THEN THERE WERE BREAKS. SOME PEOPLE GOT CUT OFF AND CALLED RIGHT BACK IN , BUT AFTER A WHILE SOME PEOPLE WERE FINDING THEY WERE CUT OFF AND COULDN'T GET BACK IN AT ALL. IT WAS TERRIBLE. I LOST IT ABOUT 1 A.M., BUT MANAGED TO SLIP IN AGAIN AND STAY ON UNTIL THE THING DIED . . . I THINK IT WAS ABOUT FOUR IN THE MORNING. THERE WERE FOUR OF US STILL HANGING ON WHEN THE CONFERENCE DISAPPEARED INTO NOWHERE FOR GOOD. WE ALL TRIED TO M-F UP TO IT AGAIN OF COURSE, BUT WE GOT SILENT TERMINATION. THERE WAS NOTHING THERE.'" ALMOST BRINGS TEARS TO YOUR EYES, DON'T IT? NOW A DAYS, CONFERENCES ARE MAJORLY BUSINESS ORIENTED. THE MAJOR VENDOR, YOU MIGHT SAY, IS A THING CALLED ALLIENCE TELECONFERENCING. THIS IS A OFFSPRING OF AMERICAN BELL, WHICH IN TURN WAS BORN OF AT&T. IF YOU WANT TO CALL UP ALLIENCE, THEY HAVE NUMBERS IN THE CITIES THEY HAVE CONFERENCE LINES IN: 213-481-2388 LISTED AS AMERICAN BELL TELECONFERENCING 312-938-0926 LISTED AS AT&T TELECONFERENCE 914-365-0123 LISTED AS TELECONFERENCE 713-655-2101 LISTED AS AMERICAN BELL TELECONFERENCING *THESE NUMBERS ARE, OF COURSE, JUST TO THE BUSINESS OFFICE* HOW TO SET UP A CONFERENCE: THIS IS FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW, NOTHING NEW, SO THOSE OF YOU WHO DO, YOU MIGHT WANT TO SKIP OVER IT. FIRST OF ALL YOU NEED TO FIND A NUMBER THROUGH WHICH YOU CAN BOX OUT OF, IN OTHER WORDS A NUMBER THAT WILL ACCEPT 2600 AND RELEASE YOU ONTO AN OPERATOR TRUNK. THESE ARE SOME OF THE ONES THAT I KNOW OF: 604-555-1212 B.C. DA 403-555-1212 ALBERTA DA 306-555-1212 SASKATCHEWAN DA 204-555-1212 MANITOBA DA 807-555-1212 ONTARIO DA 705-555-1212 ONTARIO DA 416-555-1212 DA 613-555-1212 DA 819-555-1212 QUEBEC DA 418-555-1212 " " 514-555-1212 " " 709-555-1212 NEW FOUNDLAND DA 506-555-1212 NEW BRUNSWICK DA 902-555-1212 NOVA SCOTIA DA AS YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL, I HAVE JUST LISTED ALL OF THE DA#'S FOR CANADA AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS. *NOTE* NONE OF THE U.S. DA#'S WORK, BUT A PHEW 800'S WORK FINE. NOW YOU CALL UP ONE OF THE ABOVE NUMBERS. BEFORE THE TRUNK DROPS (YOU WILL KNOW THIS BY THE SOUND OF A CACHUNK) THERE IS STATIC WHILE THE CALL IS BEING PLACED, NOW IS THE TIME TO BLOW 2600. AFTER DOING SO, THE LINE WILL GO SORT OF AN "EEEE-CACHUNK." ONCE HEARING THIS, YOU CALL UP THE CONFRENCE LINE OF YOUR CHOICE: 213-080-1050 ALLIENCE L.A. 312-001-1050 ALLIENCE CHICAGO 914-042-1050 ALLIENCE STONY POINT ? 713-033-1050 ALLIENCE HOUSTON THIS IS DONE BY HITTING KP THEN THE NUMBER OF THE CONFERENCE LINE THEN ST. IF ALL GOES WELL YOU WILL HEAR A COUPLE OF CACHUNKS THEN M-F IN KP AND ANY A/C+XXX-XXXX AS THE BILLING LINE. AFTER DOING THIS YOU WILL HEAR A COMPUTER GENERATED WOMAN'S VOICE THAT SAYS, "WELCOME TO ALLIANCE TELECONFERENCING IN 'X' (X BEING THE CITY WHICH YOU CALLED TO). YOU MAY DIAL DURING ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR FASTER SET UP. PLEASE ENTER THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE TO BE IN YOUR CONFERENCE. DIAL NOW PLEASE." YOU DO THIS WITH YOUR REGULAR TOUCH-TONE FONE. NO MORE BOXING IS INVOLVED. YOU CAN HAVE ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 59 PEOPLE ON YOUR CONFERENCE, ALTHOUGH IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO SET IT UP FOR AROUND 25-30 PEOPLE SO AS NOT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO YOURSELF BY SETTING UP FOR 59 OR OTHER VAST AMOUNTS. THIS IS IF ALL HAS GONE WELL. SOMETIMES YOU GET A BUSY SIGNAL, MEANING THAT ALL THE CONFERENCE LINES ARE BUSY, BUT SHOULD BE OPEN LATER, WHENEVER WHO IS USING THEM HANGS UP. OTHER TIMES YOU MAY GET "WE'RE SORRY, BUT YOUR CALL DID NOT GO THROUGH, WILL YOU TRY YOUR CALL AGAIN PLEASE." I HAVE GOTTEN THAT RECORDING JUST TRYING TO M-F THROUGH 514(QUEBEC) SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE DEAL IS IF YOU GET IT BEFORE YOU ENTER THE CONFERENCE TRUNK. WHEN YOU GET THE 'WE'RE SORRY' THING OFF OF THE CONFERENCE TRUNK, YOU CAN PRETTY MUCH SAY THAT THAT CONFERENCE IS DOWN FOR THE WEEKEND OR FOR THE REST OF THE NIGHT AS ALLIANCE HAS BUSIED IT OUT. ONCE YOU ARE ON THE CONFERENCE YOU CAN DIAL IN ANYONE YOU WISH NORMALLY, IE: 1+A/C+NUMBER. ONCE YOU CONNECT YOU CAN EITHER LET THEM IN ON THE CONFERENCE BY HITTING THE '#' OR HANG THEM UP BY HITTING '*'. (REMEMBER POUND TO ADD, STAR TO CANCEL (HA!)) YOU CAN ALSO TRANSFER CONTROL TO SOMEONE ON THE CONFERENCE BY DIALING '6' THEN 1+A/C+NUMBER. THERE ARE SOME DANGERS THAT COME WITH THIS FUN, OF COURSE. ONE IS THE FEDERAL LAWS THAT SETTING UP ONE LIKE THIS BREAKS. I AM NOT SURE WHICH ONE(S) EXACTLY, I JUST KNOW THAT THEY EXIST. THEY ONLY COVER THE ORIGINATOR, AND THE PERSON(S) HAVING CONTROL OVER THE CONFERENCE, SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY THAT IF THE FBI BUSTS THE ORIGINATOR THAT YOU ARE NEXT IF YOU JUST ANSWERED YOUR PHONE. THERE IS ALSO THE FACT THAT YOU MAY BE PILING UP TROUBLE CARDS ON YOUR LINE IF YOU WERE STUPID ENOUGH TO SET IT UP FROM YOUR HOUSE FONE. ONE WAY AROUND THIS IS TO GO MOBILE WITH TAPES, OR TO SET IT UP THROUGH A CHEESE BOX, OR THROUGH A PBX. ESPECIALLY STUPID, JUST FLAT OUT BLITHERING WOULD BE THE PERSON WHO SET UP A CONFERENCE ON AN ESS EXCHANGE, CAUSE, AS FLASH HOSER, THAT PHREAK FROM THE GREAT WHITE NORTH PUT IT, "ESS IS BAD NEWS!" YOU WILL BE TRACED WITHIN A MATTER OF SECONDS FROM THE M-F TONES REGISTERING ON YER TELCO COMP, SO DON'T THINK THEY MIGHT NOT NOTICE IT. ALSO, NEVER GIVE OUT NUMBERS WHILE ON A CONFERENCE. IF YOU MUST GIVE OUT A NUMBER, OR EVEN A FIRST NAME, FIRST HANG UP, THEN HAVE THE PERSON IN CONTROL CALL YOU BACK, AND THEN GIVE HIM-HER THE INFO BEFORE THEY ADD YOU BACK IN. THE REASON FOR THIS IS THAT THE CONFERENCE OPERATOR COULD VERY WELL BE LISTENING IN. IF YOU EVER HAPPEN UPON THIS MENACE OF AN OPERATOR, BLOW 2600 TO HER OR SHE WILL KICK YOU OFF THE CONFERENCE LINE. NEVER CALL FBI AGENTS! AND IF YOU MUST, NEVER DO IT THROUGH THE CONFERENCE!! ONCE YOU ADD THEM THEY WILL STAY ON UNTIL IT DIES! LET SOMEONE WITH 3-WAY LET THEM IN THROUGH A SCC OR SOMETHING. IF A FED DOES HAPPEN TO GET ON YOUR LINE, THEY WILL TRY ALL THEY CAN TO GET ANYTHING! THEY ACCOMPLISH THIS BY ONE OF THREE MEANS: 1)BEING QUIET WITH A RECORDER GOING, TO GET NUMBERS, NAMES, INFO DISCLOSED, ETC. 2)A SECTOR TAP PLACED ON THE LINE, YOU WILL HEAR WEIRD BEEPS, BUZZES, CLICKS EVERY NOW AND THEN. THEY SEEM TO THINK THAT THEY WILL GET SOMETHING FROM THIS, BUT AS FAR AS I KNOW IT USED TO WORK, BUT NOW DOESN'T, AND BESIDES, IT IS ILLEGAL FOR THEM TO USE ONE SO IT WOULDN'T HOLD UP IN A COURT ANYWAY. 3)THE THIRD WAY, AND MOST DEADLY, IS SOMETHING FOUND BY AND STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE RESEARCHER AND {}MOB RULES{}. IT CONSISTS OF KP AND TWO OTHER M-F TONES PLAYED INTO THE CONFERENCE LINE. IT CAUSES A PHONE NUMBER AND ST TO BE SPILLED BACK, IN OTHER WORDS YOU HEAR SOME ONE ON THE CONFERENCE'S TELEPHONE NUMBER PLAYED BACK FOR YOU IN M-F TONES. IT IS NOT YET KNOWN WHOSE NUMBER GETS SPILLED BACK, NOR I IT KNOWN FROM WHERE IT IS SPILLED FROM, ALTHOUGH IT IS PROBABLY FROM ALLIANCE. ALL THAT IS KNOWN IS THAT A NUMBER DOES GET SPILLED BACK, AND THAT IS ALL THAT THE FEDS NEED, JUST ONE NUMBER. THE TONES THAT THE FEDS WILL SEND FORTH ARE "KP+ A COMBINATION OF THE M-F TONES 4&6 AND 7&9" SO IT WOULD BE KP+46+79. EXPERIMENT, AS THIS COULD REALLY HELP IN KNOWING WHAT THEY CAN DO TO US EXACTLY. OPERATORS ARE PHUN PEOPLE TO GET ON CONFERENCES, AS THEY ARE SO PHUCKING STUPID. YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND LET THEM IN ON A CONFERENCE CAUSE THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING DESPITE THE FACT THAT THEY WOULD LIKE FOR YOU TO THINK THEY CAN. GET A BUNCH OF DA'S ON THE LINE AND LET THEM ASK EACH OTHER, "WHAT CITY PLEASE." ANOTHER THING TO DO TO OPERATORS IS TO GET ONE ON THE LINE AND MAKE HER THINK THAT YOU ARE ANOTHER OPERATOR, SAY SOMETHING LIKE "TSPS #125, BOSTON," AND SEE WHAT THEY DO. YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO CALL UP WESTERN UNION, SATELCO, OR LDS OPERATORS AND BUG THEM. OTHER PHUN THINGS TO GET ON THE CONFERENCES ARE TELEX OFFICES, COMPUTER COMPANIES, STEVE WOZNIAC, WORLD-WIDE RECORDINGS, MILITARY BASES, AND THE EVER POPULAR # OF MY OWN, THE WHITEHOUSE SIGNAL!! HERE ARE COMPANIES YOU MIGHT WANT TO CALL FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THEIR TELECONFERENCING AND PICTURE PHONE SERVICES: AT&T 212-393-9800 COLORADO VIDEO 303-444-3972 DAROME CONNECTION 203-797-1300 DAROME INC. 815-943-5481 FTC SERVICES 212-699-9730 HOLIDAY INN HI-NET 901-362-4505 INFOLINK 312-291-2900 MISAR INDUSTRIES 714-540-2477 TELECONCEPTS 212-355-7113 VIDEO STAR CONNECTIONS 404-257-0121 THESE COMPANIES ARE VENDORS OF SERVICES OR PRODUCTS OR ARE SUPPLIERS OF EQUIPMENT TO TELECONFERENCING SERVICES. IF SOME ARE NO LONGER IN OPERATION, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. LASTLY, I HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO BOXING THAT I SAW IN A MESSAGE POSTED BY JOHN DOE. YOU CALL UP A TSPS AND SAY "THIS IS MR. X FROM X, AND I'D LIKE TO SET UP A TELECONFERENCE. TELL HER THE BILLING LINE AND PARTY, WHICH WOULD BE A FRIEND ON A LOOP WAITING FOR THE OPERATOR TO CALL UP AND ASK IF THIS WAS KNOWN TO BE THE BILLING LINE, HE-SHE WILL ACCEPT GLADLY. THEN ONCE SHE PUTS YOU UP TO THE CONFERENCE LINES, TELL HER TO GO AHEAD AND RELEASE THE LINE, AS YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO FROM HERE ON. IT SOUNDS GOOD, BUT AS TO WHETHER IT WILL WORK OR NOT, I AM NOT SURE. I HOPE THAT THIS LITTLE (HA) TUTORIAL HAS BEEN OF SOME HELP AND HAS PROVIDED YOU WITH SOME INFORMATION TO HELP FURTHER YOUR CAREERS AND THAT IT WILL COME IN HANDY AT SOME TIME OR ANOTHER. ------->ERIK BLOODAXE